Lighting fixture



July 5 1927' s; sHAPlRo LIGHTING FIXTURE med uamh 192s mvsmn AT'TORNEY Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES vP ATENT oFFic-E.

i SAULASHAZPIRO, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., .ASSIGNOR TO ARTCRAFT METAL STAMPING COR- ZEORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

i LIGHTING VFIXTURE.

Application filedlilari'zli 3, 1926. Serial No. 91,943.

The present invention relates to lightingfixtures utilizing bent straps in their con,- Vstruction and a strap suitable' for use in such lighting fixtures.

Ithas been common in the art to make up lighting fixtures using castings of brass, aluminum, or iron or bent straps oit flat stock, ,generally of strap iron. VThin castings such as are suitable for straps are dif- `fieult to cast and are generally iinnished 'on one-side. In most cases, the cross section ofthe sti'ap liron is rectangular, and in order to suitably ornanicnt'fixtures so made, it has been necessary to apply leaves, iiowers, rosettes,fand-the like to overcome the otherwise'bare or naked apearance oi' the straps. A number of these/ornamentsy were sometimes required for ,each strap. As `these straps ,are bent in various manners, both' sides of the strap are visible, andconsiderable diiiiculty maybe found inl providing suitable ornamentsV on both sides ot'y the strap. Certain finishes, such as silvei-and gold which may be applied Vto brass, cannot be satisfactorily applied'to iron.,I Various other dithcultieshave-arisen in the inanufactureof high class fixtures of this type, ywhich are overcome by utilizing the strap made upaccording tothe present invention. This newrtorin of strapialso improves the rappearanceof'tlieiixture. Y n The present V"invention contemplates a i lighting Vfixture strapfhaving, what may convenientlybe describedas a double channel Vshaped cross section, the side pedges of the straps being thickened. This form oi' strap linay be lmade 'in various manners. Several V'forins of straps suitable foi-the purpose are discussed. y

A further object .oit the invention is to provide alightingfixture which utilizesbent ystraps wherein the thickened edges ofthe strap'V provide ornaments von both thev top an'dboth sides of the strap, and so that the .straps present a pleasing appearance no matter what angleithey are'viewed from.

@ther and 'further objects ofthe/ invention will appear as 'the description proceeds.

TheA accompanying drawings show, for purposes oit' illustrating the invent-ion, several v`of the many ,possible embodiments in' v tion.

vFigures 2, 2b 2 and 2d are perspective A views of illustrative forms of strap;

' Figure .3 is a ysectional view' through the strap, showing the manner in [which it aecomniodates iix'tui'e wires; and

, Figure 4 is a sectionalfview through the strap, showing the manner in which it may be mounted to the round fixture body rcommon in the art. A As illustrated in the Figure 1, the strap is in the 'formfoi a double channel or H-secand has thickened' edges or ribs, as shown Lat ll and 1.2, which 'preferably extend the same distance on each lside of the neutral axis ol'the'strap. For'illustrative purposes, in Figure 1, Ythe lengthwise ornamentation is 'shown' as simulating rope, which maybe made by cuts `or'depressions 13 rolled'into Vthe strap along the ribs. Various other -orms of ornamentation may be provided 'along these ribs. Such forms ot ornament as pimples, dimples, corrugations, criss cross marks, etc, are suggested as easily obtainable. e

These straps may be made in various man-v ners and may be bent and twisted intoyany Vdesired shape, so that nrst one side of the strap lis visible, and then the other side, as is indicated infFigure l. Inasmuch asl the strapis ornamented on both sides, it will be obvious that the lighting `iXture part made out of bent strap will present an ornayinented surface in every direction, and that it lwill be very rigid on acoiint of the shape of the strap section.

One form of strap is shown inV Figure 2a.

'It is made from a strip of sheet metal .by

deforiningithe edges andbcnding the material onto ,itself in suitable dies. To make It has a thin web 10 in the middle l Vsuch a strap, sheetbrass otsuitable thick-i.

ness, say fg, and width, say 1ML is Worked to shape. The web 10 of the strap may be ,16 x l/H, and the ribs l1ZL and 1lb 1/8 x ,gag-",iiiaking a strap iM wide. rlhese ribs are formed by careful die works so that sharp angles appear at 14 and 15. The manner of the folding of the metal is indicated by the discontinuous cross hatching and the light lines 1G and 17. The dies are so shaped that the metal is forced into intimate contact to expel the air. The metal hardens on account of the work done on it, and the ribs are not pressed out of shape when the ornamentation is applied by rolling the rope simulating impressions 13 (or other form of ornament) into it.

It will be noted in Figs. 2fL and 2b that the solid, longitudinally ribs extend substantially equal amounts above and below the central web portion. The strap is there fore symmetrical about a median plane parallel to the web, passing through AA, Fig. 2a or AA, Fig. 2b. By reason of this symmetry, the strap is bendable with equal facility in either direction, and presents the same appearance from either side. In Fig. 2a, the seam or line of contact of the parts is indicated at S. This seam is substantially at the center of the rib.

Figure 2b shows another form of strap produced by soldering four strips 18 arranged in pairs on the opposite edges of a fiat strap 19. The two strips at each edge cooperate to form a heavy, substantially solid, longitudinally extending bead, as shown. These strips may be half round or of the other1 shape and provided with such ornament as dimples shown at 20.

Figure 2c shows the strap made out of a flat strip 21 grooved as shown at 22 so that sheet metal mouldings, such as indicated at 23 and 24, may be applied to it.

Figure 2d shows a form of strap made by cold rolling the stock or by extruding it. Here the web 1()d and ribs 11d and 12d are integral.

Bent stra-ps of the above nature may be used wherever one could use the ordinary flat stock. The straps of this invention are used as bracket members for supporting the lights in an electric light chandelier. Such use is necessarily a conspicuous one and so it is essential that the strap be ornamental and of pleasing appearance on both sides, since `ordinarily both'sides of the strap or bracket member are visible when in use. The bracket member according to this invention has the mechanical property of possessing considerable rigidity, yet it is still bendable into desired shapes; it also has what is important and essential in this art, namely, a distinctly ornamental appearance, Aand is equally ornamental onboth sides. Besides producing a fixture having great advantages so far as beauty and ability' to finish are conJ ce1-ned, they have decided advantages in assembling fixtures. Several of these advantages are indicated in the drawing.

Figure 3 shows how fixture wires 25 may be held between the ribs 11 and 12 of the bent strap. By having these wires in the channel 'provided by the form of strap used, these wires are kept in place, and are rendered less conspicuous. rl`he attention is more directed to the oriiainental feature, caused by the ornamental edge of the strap, and one overlooks the wires which are present.

As shown in Figure 1, an ornamental leaf, strap or other device may be easilymounted in the channel provided by the thickened edges of the strap. Such an ornament is indicated at 26. VIn the drawing, no attempt is made to show the details of its ornamentation. This leaf or other ornament 26 will fit in between the beads or thickened edges 1l and 12, and will be held by them in alignment. These ornaments may be attached by soldering, brazing, screws, or otherwise. By selecting suitable ornamentation on these attached parts, it is obvious that the beauty of the fixture may be 'greatly enhanced. provides a flat area, indicated at 27, to which one may attach the devices such as couplings for supporting. candles or drop lights, or braces, or other parts.

Strap fixtures of the type to which the present invention is particularly adapted to be used, frequently employ small central Vbodies made of sheet metal or round spindles to which the straps are fastened. The at- 'lhe web of the strap also tachment of the bent strap in such a construction is illustrated in Figure 4. The thickened edges 11 and 12, of the straplie against the body 29 and present a much closer fit than is manufacturer may Vvary the ornamentalk possible where the ordinary appearance of the lighting fixture made out of the previously prepared strap. Fixtures using bent straps made out of material such as has been described, present a much finer appearance than fixtures madeout of the fiat straps heretofore in common use. are capable of being finished in any 'desired fashion, and are not restricted toinishes suitable for iron only. There is an absence of large unornamented or bare surfaces.

They Y Furthermore, the parallel lines given tothearm by the present construction, make the fixture appear larger in the direction in which the lines extend. The use of this form of strap makes it possible to Vprovide fixtures of the bent strap type vin which pleas` ing ornamentation is provided, no matter in which direction one looks'at the fixture.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions, and I wish it to be understood that the particular forms shown are but a few of the many forms. Various modilications and changes being possible, I do not limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

That is claimed is:

l. An ornamental, readily bendable metallic bracket member for use in electric light chandeliers and the like, comprising a longitudinally extending web portion and relatively thick longitudinally extending substantially solid beads extending along the edges of the web,`the beads being integral with the web and extending substantially an equal amount above and below the surfaces of the web, whereby the strap is symmetrical about a median kplane parallel to the web and presents substantially thesame appearance on each side, and is bendable with equalfacility in either direction, the solidity of the beads preventing their collapse during such bending.

2. An ornamental, readily bendable metallic bracket member for use in electric light chandeliers and the like, comprising a longitudinally extending web portion and relatively thick longitudinally extending substantially solid beads extending along the edges of the web, the beads at each edge of the web having a seam extending from one surface of the web to substantially the oenter of the beads, the metal being in intimate f contact along the seam, whereby the strap is symmetrical about a median plane parallel to the web and presents substantially the same appearance on each side, and is bendable with equal facility in either direction, the solidity of the beads preventing their collapse during such bending.

SAUL YSI-IAPIRO. 

